Seasonal changes in melatonin in peptic ulcer disease

Abstract

Melatonin is the main neuroendocrine hormone of the pineal gland. A distinctive feature of melatonin indole is its ability to regulate physiological processes related to the circadian rhythm. Numerous scientific data demonstrate the importance of melatonin in the development of organic and functional pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), due to the close relationship between the hormone and intestinal structures. The paper presents the results of our study and shows dynamic variations in seasonal gradations of melatonin levels in patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers. The studies have shown that in patients with gastric and duodenal ulcers, the level of the hormone melatonin varied depending on the season. During the period of long daylight hours (spring and summer), the content of indole in the blood was ≥1 pg/ml, while during the period of minimal daylight (autumn and winter), the content of melatonin was ≤1 pg/ml. Therefore, if the melatonin level is less than 1 pg/ ml in spring and summer, and more than 1 pg/ml in autumn and winter, it can be concluded that an individual does not have peptic ulcer disease. Thus, the melatonin shift in the blood at different time limits relative to light illumination can be used as a laboratory biomarker of desynchronosis associated with the risk of developing acid-related diseases, in particular seasonal exacerbation of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Accordingly, revealing the causes and mechanism of development of seasonal exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease can help in early prediction and prevention of this nosology.